Matilija Copy Vol. 17:2 Channel Islands Chapter of the California Native Society, serving Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties Matilija Copy

$3 Volume 17, Issue 2 Editor: David L. Magney July-November 2004

Contents UPCOMING CHAPTER PROGRAMS Note: The Channel Islands Chapter has a new mailing “The Demise of California’s Valley Oak Savannas and address. Please send all mail to the Channel Islands Chapter to: Prospects for Conservation and Restoration” Dr. Frank Davis, Professor of [Bio]Geography, UCSB CNPS Channel Islands Chapter 5:00 p.m., Saturday, September 18, Old Creek Ranch Winery, Oak View PO Box 6 Ojai, CA 93024-0006 At our chapter Annual Dinner (RSVP required), Dr. Davis will give a fascinating talk about plant biogeography and conservation, based on his research over the last Item Page decade. He has found some very interesting, and alarming things about our native Programs 1 vegetation using the most current scientific methods and tools. Conservation Front 2 You will NOT want to miss this year’s dinner at the Old Creek Ranch Winery near Horticulture 3 Oak View (Ojai Valley). We will have an art show and live auction from 12 excellent artists featuring artworks of the natural environment, live music by Russ Baggerly, a Education 3 great dinner catered by Janet Berg, a silent auction of a variety of must-have items, Vegetation 3 wine tasting courtesy of the Old Creek Winery, and an opportunity to meet and talk to Calendar of Events 4 others who also care about California flora. This event costs $25/adult and $15/child Rare 5 over 8 years, and RSVP is required. If you did not receive an invitation, call Cher Trivia Question 6 Batchelor at 805/646-6045 or 641-0863 no later than 15 September. www.cnpsci.org 6 “Site-Specific Revegetation Program for Ventura County” President’s Message 6 Christopher Bysshe, CNPS Channel Islands Horticulture Chair Featured Rare Plant 7 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 20, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Past Hike Reviews 7 Bysshe will speak on the development of the Channel Island Chapter’s site-specific Chapter Officers Contacts 8 native revegetation facility program. We have collected seed over the last two years Directions to the E.P. Foster and now propagation efforts have begun! Chris will describe the program’s purpose, Library: from the North on evolution over the last two years, and the current project matrix, and he will outline US101 take Ventura Ave exit, go our ambitious plans for the future. Exciting developments regarding a new Ventura straight 2 blocks and turn Right nursery facility and funding resources will be announced as well. This is a onto Main St.; go 6 blocks East community-based effort and thus we welcome your participation. and turn Left onto Chestnut St. * Dinner at local restaurant before each meeting. Call local facilitator for time and place. * From South on US101 take the California St. exit; go 2 blocks and “Braunton’s Milkvetch, A California Original” turn Right onto Main St. and turn Betsey Landis, CNPS-Los Angeles/ Chapter Left onto Chestnut. Parking is 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, November 17, Topping Rm, E.P. Foster Library, Ventura located behind the library, and there is a rear entrance to the What began as a reader's agitated response to an article I wrote for my Chapter Topping Room, on the West side newsletter triggered a lawsuit against Ventura County and a six-year hunt for clues to of the library. the history and lifestyle of a very beautiful, very Californian plant. The entire world The Santa Barbara Botanic population of Braunton's Milkvetch (Astragalus brauntonii) occurs in four relatively Garden is located at 1212 Mission small areas in the Simi Hills, the Santa Monica Mountains, above Monrovia in the Canyon Dr. (many routes lead San Gabriel Mountains and in the northern . Come and find out through Santa Barbara to Foothill why! Road/SR192). Mission Canyon Dr. is North of SR192. Photographs in this issue of Matilija Copy are by David L. Magney ©2004 unless otherwise credited. 1 Matilija Copy Vol. 17:2

Conservation Front Camarillo Regional Park In May 2004 Ventura County Parks Department requested County Open Space Alliance bids from golf course developers to build an 18-hole golf course This November, Ventura County voters will be voting whether at Camarillo Regional Park. One bid was submitted from a golf to increase the County sales tax by ¼ cent (from 7.25 percent to 7.5 course developer. The Parks Department has also received a percent) to provide operating funds for the Ventura County Open preliminary bid from the California Coastal Conservancy to Space District (VCOSD), and to authorize formation of this district. enhance or expand wetland habitats at the park, which the Ventura The VCOSD would be established to purchase and manage open County Board of Supervisors (championed by Linda Parks) space lands for the purposes of preserving and restoring natural specifically requested as an alternative. At some time in the near native habitats, something no County agency or entity is currently future, the Parks Department will make a recommendation to the charged with doing countywide. This vote is absolutely vital to Board of Supervisors which project should be selected. facilitate this type of conservation, and CNPS urges you all to vote A group dedicated to preserve Camarillo Regional Park has “Yes” on Measure A. been established, and has developed a website: The Camarillo Measure A is a countywide initiative to create an Open Space Regional Park Preservation Committee has been formed to District that will preserve, enhance and restore the agricultural preserve Camarillo Regional Park as natural open space. Visit resources and natural qualities of Ventura County for the enjoyment their site at www.savecrp.com, and read some very interesting and benefit of present and future County residents. things related to the park and golf course developments in Ventura County. The County Open Space Alliance (COSA) is a broad-based countywide effort to assure the passage of Measure A on November Unrelated but directly affecting wetlands at Camarillo 2, 2004. COSA believes Open Space Makes Cents, 1/4 cent that is. Regional Park, the Ventura County Watershed Protection District That's all it takes to make a difference in maintaining our farmland, (VCWPD, formerly the Flood Control District) whacked down all views and open space that define the quality of life in Ventura the riparian shrubs and trees within Calleguas Creek adjacent to County. Camarillo Regional Park. This is a routine practice (about once Measure A on the November, 2004 ballot establishes an Open every 5 years) by the VCWPD to keep waterways clear of trees Space District that will purchase parkland, open space and and large shrubs to accommodate the rare flood event. Since the agricultural conservation easements to permanently preserve VCWPD has confined channels such as Calleguas Creek into farmland between our cities. The small 1/4¢ sales tax for a limit of narrow pathways bound by unnatural levees, the normal fluvial 10 years will be added to State and Federal grants to assure the processes, including flood water conveyance, of our streams have character of Ventura County remains unchanged. been reduced to narrow channels that flood control engineers want clean of natural vegetation, particularly trees. A preferred fluvial The Open Space District will purchase land and conservation flood conveyance system would be one with wide enough easements throughout Ventura County to permanently protect areas floodplains to accommodate the rare flood events AND provide such as wetlands, rivers, streams and coastal areas; hillsides, valuable riparian and wetland habitats in Ventura County. ridgelines and scenic viewsheds; wildlife corridors and natural habitat; agricultural lands; greenbelts between the cities; and natural CNPS urges all Ventura County residents to contact your park sites. Ventura County supervisor (Steve Bennett, Linda Parks, John How will the Open Space District work? Flynn, Judy Mikels, and Kathy Long) to let them know your views on what should happen at Camarillo Regional Park, and we The Open Space District will function primarily as a granting hope you do not want another golf course. For background agency. Usually it will not own or manage land, but will select information about CNPS and Camarillo Regional Park, visit the projects and distribute funding for acquisitions to appropriate chapter website at: agencies and organizations, such as local park districts or land http://www.cnpsci.org/html/Conservation/CurrentIssues.htm. trusts. Funds will be used only to purchase land or development rights Roads and Biodiversity – Liz Chattin from willing sellers‚ the district cannot exercise eminent Roads are known to fragment valuable habitat and be an domain. The most successful projects will be locally driven obstacle for just about every form of wildlife that crosses them. with strong community support. In the past few years, Caltrans and the Santa Monica Mountains Potential acquisitions will be evaluated and prioritized based National Recreation Area have inventoried wildlife use of road on an extensive set of selection criteria that were developed by crossing structures including bridges and culverts in Ventura a broad-based citizen advisory committee. Selection criteria County. It was not too surprising that they found a number of include such elements as: threat of development; strategic large and medium sized mammals, including mountain lions, use value in protecting water quality or scenic vistas; quality of these structures to pass underneath roads. However, these animals natural habitat; soil quality and water supply (for agricultural are just as likely to attempt to go across the road, even when a lands); and availability of matching state, federal or private structure is present. To better understand how roads impact funds. species near wetlands and to mitigate the impacts of land use Your help is needed besides voting. Please make a donation to the entitlement projects on wildlife migration, the Ventura County County Open Space Alliance to assist with the campaign. A pre- Planning Division is working with the UCSB Bren School to carry addressed envelope is included with this newsletter to make it easy out a study to develop mitigation measures to reduce impacts of for you to send in a contribution. Thanks! roads on wildlife movement in continued on page 3

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continued from page 2 land use entitlement project areas. The UCSB Bren students are conducting field research to examine Vegetation roadkill and crossing structure use by wildlife with a focus on reptiles and amphibians. The students would greatly appreciate any Wildfires & Natural Vegetation – David Magney assistance from the community with collecting roadkill data and You all remember the wildfires of October 2003 and other helping to inventory the crossing structures. If you are interested in years. They can be very scary for homeowners who live next to participating contact Liz Chattin by phone at 805/648-9287 or via natural vegetation that is prone to burn easily. It is interesting email at [email protected]. though, how people’s perceptions can be influenced by ignorance or misinformation, such as when the news anchor labels a burned November Elections area of chaparral a “disaster”, showing scenes of scorched CNPS urges you to vote this November as the outcome is hillsides. The fact is, natural vegetation in is able to cope very well to periodic, but infrequent fires. It is vitally important to the preservation of the California native humans that do not cope so well, and we too often put our fears, flora, at the local, state, and national levels. We encourage as truly real as they are, onto natural ecosystems. you to carefully review every candidate for office, no matter what level, for their records and stands on issues that affect the environment both locally and globally. Every vote does indeed count (okay, maybe not in Florida) and your vote is needed. We encourage you to vote with future generations in mind, not your pocketbook (although we are confident that no CNPS member would be so greedy and selfish). Look at the big picture and the long run, not just issues we are facing today. Be an informed voter, and vote!

Horticulture This picture of one of the October 2003 fires in San Diego County was clipped from a photo in a presentation by Dr. Jon Keeley of the USGS. Native Plant Propagation Program Colonists to southern California early recognized that water Come to the Chapter evening program on October 20th to hear quality was dependent on a healthy watershed, which meant that Christopher Bysshe talk about the exciting program he is the native vegetation growing on our mountains and hillsides was spearheading for the chapter. We are working on establishing a providing an invaluable function in maintaining water quality and truly locally native plant nursery for all who desire truly locally water quantity for downstream areas. When the natural vegetation native plants to the region. There will be many fun propagation is removed, for any reason, there is a significant increase in tasks that you may want to help with. surface runoff, mudslides, sedimentation of streams, and reduced water percolation into the local aquifers. This realization was the foundation of the Forest Preserve system (the precursor to the Native Plant Sales Forest Service) established by President Theodore Roosevelt in Be sure to check the calendar section of this newsletter the late 1890s. In fact, the Pine Mountain and Zaca Lake Forest for information on fall native plant sales. The Channel Reserve was the first reserve established anywhere in the United Islands Chapter is hosting its native plant sale on 20 States, specifically to protect the watersheds supporting Ojai (then called Nordhoff), San Buenaventura, Santa Barbara, and other November while the San Luis Obispo Chapter is hosting one communities. The boundaries and names changed over the years, in Nipomo (San Luis Obispo County) on 2 October. and finally evolved into the Los Padres National Forest (in 1936 or 1938). Other Preserves were established in Los Angeles Education County, and elsewhere. Firefighting was a major focus of these federal reserves, and Botswap subsequent incarnations. The mantra has almost always been to suppress any and all wildfires. Frankly, based on extensive About every six months, a group of local botanists get together research by a number of very talented ecologists and fire to just talk about the botany profession and issues of interest or specialists, such as Dr. Jon Keeley, now with the U.S. Geologic concern. A group of local botanists, primarily botanists working Survey, we have a much better understanding of the history and for public agencies, met at the UCSB Coal Oil Point Preserve in ecological effects of natural wildfires and vegetation response, Goleta in late August. We heard a presentation from Dr. Jon and how fire suppression has worked and not worked. Keeley about wildfire history, statistics, and characteristics, and how they affect natural vegetation. Jon Keeley and C.J. Fotheringham presented some very interesting data in 2004 on the effects of fire fighting efforts over This forum for meeting is a very good educational opportunity the last 100 years in southern California, focusing on shrubland for professional botanists. CNPS encourages all professional wildfires, the type of wildfire we face in Ventura and Santa botanists to attend whenever possible. Contact Connie Rutherford Barbara Counties. Their findings are summarized below. at the US Fish & Wildlife Service at 644-1766 to get a notice. continued on page 5

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Please join us on one or more of our events. You will enjoy yourself for sure! 18 September 2004, Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Annual Dinner and Art Auction, Old Creek Ranch Winery, Oak View. Guest speaker will be Dr. Frank Davis, Professor of Geography at UCSB speaking on “The Demise of California’s Valley Oak Savannas and Prospects for Conservation and Restoration”. The dinner will be catered with delicious and healthy food. The Old Creek Winery is providing the beautiful setting and wine tasting along the banks of San Antonio Creek in the Ojai Valley. We will have a dozen great artists displaying their work, with about as many items donated to CNPS for our live auction, where you will certainly be able to win very good art for great prices. There will also be a raffle for some beautiful books and other items and a silent auction of very desirable items. The best part of this annual dinner will be the opportunity to spend the evening over dinner with people who share your interests. You will not want to miss it and it is a great value at $25/adults and $15/child over 8 years. RSVP to Cher Batchelor (805/646-6045 weekdays) and mail your RSVP card to PO Box 6, Ojai, CA 93024. 20 September 2004, Monday, 8 a.m.-3p.m. Noxious Weeds Seminar, Royal Scandinavian Inn, Solvang. The Santa Barbara County Weed Management Area (WMA) is pleased to announced its Noxious Weeds Seminar for 2003. This year's theme is "Noxious Weeds of Rangeland and Watershed." The seminar will be at the Royal Scandinavian Inn, Solvang, California. The fee is $40, Lunch is provided. Six hours of DPR and 3 hours of ISA continuing education credit will be available. For details, call Charles Blair, 733- 3189 or Dave Chang, S.B. County WMA (805) 681-5600 http://www.countyofsb.org/agcomm/WMA.htm. 2 October 2004, Sunday, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m., Nipomo Native Garden Plant Sale, Jim O. Miller Park. The Nipomo Native Garden in having its Fall Plant Sale at Jim O Miller Park, on Tefft Ave. between US 101 and Thompson Ave. A good selection of plants and people. Call Larry Vierheilig 929-6710 for further information. 4-5 October, Tuesday-Wednesday, CNPS-CDFG Vegetation and Habitat Rapid Assessment Public Workshop. Learn how to classify and describe natural vegetation of the Santa Monica Mountains (applicable to anywhere in California) at this thorough field workshop put on by CNPS. Registration is $150/person before 17 September and $175/person afterwards. Contact Ann Klein at 916/327- 5960 or email her at [email protected]. We hosted this workshop in the Ojai Valley a couple of years ago. 4 November 2004, Thursday, 7:00 p.m., SLO CNPS Native Gardening Program SLO Vets’ Hall. In conjunction with our Fall Plant Sale, the SLO Chapter California Native Plant Society November program will be at the SLO Vets’ Hall, corner of Grand Ave (801 Grand) & Monterey. Speaker to be announced. Contact John Nowak 464-0717, Charlie Blair 733-3189, or Dirk Walters 543-7051 for details. 6 November 2004, Saturday, 9 a.m. Fall Color Hike, Lions Creek, Ventura County. Join botanist Ken Niessen on a nice easy walk up Lions Creek to see the golds and yellows of the cottonwoods, alders, and willows that will be displaying their fall colors. The hike will originate at Middle Lion Campground at the end of the Piedra Blanca/Lions/Rose Valley Road, which originates on State Route 33 about 15 miles north of Ojai. Bring lunch and water, good walking shoes, and a sweater and hat just in case. The trail follows Lions Creek up into the heart of the north side of Nordhoff Ridge, through a narrow picturesque canyon for a little over a mile before it opens up into a little valley. Bigcone Spruce (Pseudotsuga macrocarpa) are common on the steep shaded slopes, providing an Asian look to the landscape. The stream is perennial for the most part and sustains a healthy riparian stand of White Alder (Alnus rhombifolia) and Fremont Cottonwood (Populus fremontii) trees, as well as many rushes and sedges. 6 November 2004, Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., CNPS SLO Annual Native Plant Sale, Madonna Plaza. Come to the Heritage Oak Bank parking lot (297 Madonna Rd.) from 9 AM-2PM for the SLO Chapter Plant Sale. A wide variety of plants, posters, books, and gardening literature will be available along with many knowledgeable and helpful people. Contact John Nowak 464-0717, Charlie Blair 733-3189, or Dirk Walters 543-7051 for more information. 7 November 2004, Sunday, 9:00 a.m.; Fall Plant Walk, La Purisima Mission. Charlie Blair will be leading a tour of fall- blooming plants of the Burton Mesa Chaparral. Come and see what is out at this sometimes forgotten time of the year. Meet at 9:00 AM, east end of Burton Mesa Blvd. (1550 E Burton Mesa Blvd.) in Mission Hills. From the north, take the Constellation Rd. off-ramp from SR 1, heading left, then turn right on Burton Mesa Blvd. From the South, Burton Mesa Blvd. can be accessed from either Harris Grade Rd. or Rucker Rd.; again turn right. Call Charlie Blair 733-3189 for details. 13 November 2004, Saturday, 9 a.m.-Noon. “Nature Walk” Work Party, Pierpont Elementary School, Ventura. Pierpont Elementary School and CNPS-CI are planning a work day to enhance the educational resources of the School’s “Nature Walk”. This native plant garden represents eight major habitat types that occur between the Channel Islands to the top of Topatopa Mountains. If interested in participating please contact Chris Bysshe at 805/646-8090. 14 November 2004, Sunday 8 a.m. Patagonia Salmon Run. 5km Walk/Run fundraiser sponsored by Patagonia with proceeds to be donated to a local conservation organization. CNPS will have a display/information table at this fun event, as well as several other conservation organizations. 20 November 2004, Saturday, 9 a.m. –2 p.m. CNPS Fall Native Plant Sale. The plant sale will be held at Plaza Park in Downtown Ventura on Santa Clara Avenue across from the Post Office. This should be a very good time of the year to purchase native plants for planting in your yard, and we should have a good selection of plants native to Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. Posters, chapter T-shirts, books, and other related items will be available as well. 4 Matilija Copy Vol. 17:2 continued from page 3 One of the problems revealed by these hot and strong winds. Those houses that did not burn were their study is that fire fighters have been treating forests and those that took care to reduce or eliminate combustible fuels shrublands the same in their efforts to manage and prevent immediately next to them. Those with shake roofs went up in wildfires; however, they are very different. A prescription for flames. forests (vegetation dominated by trees) is not appropriate for The practice of prescribed or controlled burning of shrublands shrublands such as Coastal Sage Scrub and Chaparral. They was an interesting idea; however, this practice does nothing to behave very differently when burning. The fire suppression stem the spread of wildfires spread by the Santa Ana winds, and policies have resulted in fire exclusion, when such goals jeopardize the data show that most of the devastating fires in southern the health of the natural vegetation, which follows with threats and California are indeed such fires. Keeley and Fotheringham point damage to human structures and lives. out that strategic placement is far more effective in reducing Money spent suppressing and fighting wildfires has increased losses from wildfires than spending money on attempts to create dramatically every decade over the past 100-plus years; however, barriers. Treating acreage of brush is not effective. Where the number of acres burned has remained relatively stable: lots of structures are placed and how they are maintained are far more acres of natural vegetation burn every year. If the goal of fire important factors. Creating fire breaks and fuel-clear zones fighters is to reduce the area burned, clearly spending more damages the natural ecosystem both directly and indirectly, by taxpayer dollars has failed to reduce the acreage that does burn. reducing the amount of native vegetation and creating pathways Most wildfires now are started by arsonists or by accident by and habitat for invasive exotic species, such as Yellow Star-thistle humans, ironically often when they are clearing vegetation around (Centaurea solstitialis). Yellow Star-thistle invasion not only their homes, as required by the fire departments. Prior to the adversely affects native habitats, it is a major agricultural pest, population explosion and people building their homes in shrubland costing farmers and the governments millions of dollars to habitats, most fires were started by lightning strikes, which is rare control, all needless and adverse effects of our current fire fighting in southern California, except in the higher mountains. strategies. One of the concepts strongly implemented by wildland fire Keeley and Fotheringham, and CNPS, argue that a better way fighters is the desire to create defensible space between to manage these wildfire events, in much the way the government combustible natural vegetation and human structures. These come plans for other natural disasters such as earthquakes, is by in a variety of forms, including clear zones around all homes, fuel engineering human infrastructure to minimize impacts and risks to breaks along ridges, and a mosaic of different-aged vegetation. humans and their structures. This in part is the responsibility of Ventura County Fire Department requires homeowners to clear planning departments, who must work in conjunction with natural vegetation 100 feet around their homes, and if they don’t, resource agencies, conservation organizations, fire departments, the Fire Department will hire someone to do it for them and send and landowners to really work towards viable solutions, not just the bill to the homeowner. standing by and watching our tax dollars go up in smoke. For more information on this subject, and to download a copy of Keeley and Fotheringham’s presentation, visit www.sdfirerecovery.net on the internet and migrate to the Shrublands Management page.

Rare Plants – David Magney Ventura County Planning Division The Ventura County Planning Division is working on improving its procedures and methods to evaluate project- related impacts upon biological resources, pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Initial Studies (IS). This work is being done under grant monies from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The County has some good conservation policies under its general plan, but some of the supporting documents or research have never been completed. One of these tasks is the development of a list of locally important/sensitive species (plants and animals). Under This photo shows a firebreak (right center) and a brush clearance zone the EPA grant, the Planning Division has convened workshops (left center, near the houses) in an area of chaparral that burned in for local knowledgeable biology experts, including wildlife October 2003 (courtesy Jon Keeley). biologists and botanists to develop the lists. The fires of October 2003 very clearly taught us that having After several meetings and workshops by these experts, all the fuelbreaks, multi-aged vegetation mosaics, and brush-clear zones around our homes does not necessarily prevent homes from botanists and wildlife biologists agreed on definitions and catching fire; not when Santa Ana winds are fanning the flames and criteria to be used to define locally rare/sensitive species. The sending embers thousands of feet, including across 8-lane freeways. criteria will be the same as that used by the California Natural Basically, there is no such thing as defensible space, there is no Diversity Database, which uses a national and global ranking such thing as a wide enough fuelbreak when the flames are fed by system. continued on page 6 5 Matilija Copy Vol. 17:2 ¿Obscure Botany Trivia Question? Summer-Fall 2004 Botanical Trivia Question What does the term “pycnocephalus” mean? Hint: This is a Latin term. Send your answers to David Magney via email or mail to PO Box 6, Ojai, CA 93024-0006. Winners and answers will be announced in the next issue of Matilija Copy, and winners will receive a botanically oriented book as a prize. Claytonia exigua Eriophyllum pringlei For the Spring 2004 Botanical Trivia Question, I asked, “What are Cherry Creek Canyon Cuyama Badlands three basic physical differences between the two subgenera (Cerastes and Euceanothus) of the genus Ceanothus?” Three members correctly answered this question by early May, Cher Batchelor, Barbara Farnsworth, and Ralph Begley. Cher was the contest winner as she was the first to reply with the correct answers. I was looking for stipule differences, flower color, and habitat preference, but accepted all correct differences. The two Ceanothus subgenera have different stipules, thickness (thick vs. thin) and venation (single vein vs. 3 veins), leaf arrangements on stems (opposite vs. alternate), stomata position (sunken vs. at surface), flower color (whitish vs. bluish), north-facing vs. south- facing slope preferences. Glacial lake and wetlands Swedish botanists in bog Kinnahult, Västergotland, Sweden wetland Upland, Sweden www.cnpsci.org

Remember to visit the Channel Islands Chapter website regularly (at least bi-weekly). We try to update it regularly, so keep checking it. The website includes chapter contacts, membership information, and various articles on: conservation, horticulture, and education issues. It has a page dedicated to rare plants, including definitions and lists of rare plants from the region. There is a page on horticulture, and soon a page on invasive exotics. The website also includes a current listing of programs (both CNPS and by Apocynum cannabinum Adenostoma sparsifolium related organizations), hikes, botany forays, workshops, symposia, Upper Piru Creek downstream of Boney Peak, Santa Monica Mtns. conferences, and CNPS meetings. A color version of the newsletter Halfmoon Camp can be downloaded in PDF format. Photographs by ©David L. Magney 2004 Photographs and drawings of locally native plants are spread See these photos in color by downloading this newsletter from the www.cnpsci.org throughout the website. The site also includes many excellent links to other interesting and informative websites. Be sure to visit it at least once a month at a minimum. Note: the “last updated” date on the various web pages does not necessarily reflect recent updates. continued from page 5 Basically, if a plant has five or fewer populations in Ventura President’s Message County, it will be considered a locally rare species and require full consideration to impacts to them during the CEQA review It has been a busy summer, and much planning has gone into our process. Other criteria were adopted that could be used to upcoming chapter Annual Dinner meeting. You will not want to included taxa as locally rare, but the number of populations miss this event. Call Cher Batchelor to see if there is still room. will be the primary criterion used, as it is the easiest to Don’t forget that we have CNPS posters available for sale. New document and measure. The list of locally rare plants can be posters have been recently developed by CNPS that you likely found on the Channel Islands Chapter’s website, don’t have in your collection, one featuring California native www.cnpsci.org, which also includes plants that are locally grasses, the other California oaks. Come by the fall plant sale or uncommon (6-10 populations in the County). Currently there one of our events and purchase one or more. They are a great are 742 plant taxa in Ventura County that have only 5 or fewer value at $7 each, and $9 for laminated posters. This is the time populations there, and of these, well over 500 taxa have only to stock up on some of the classic wildflower posters for holiday one known population within the county, excluding those that gift-giving. To purchase these on your own, please contact occur only within the Los Padres National Forest on Forest Scott Brown at (805) 525-9905 or email him at Service lands. Well over 100 of these 500 rare taxa are likely [email protected]. We are planning a number of events for extirpated (no longer exist) within Ventura County, due the fall and winter that you should find interesting and fun to primarily to land development for agriculture or houses and attend. Mark your calendar now for all those you won’t want to businesses. miss. – David Magney 6 Matilija Copy Vol. 17:2 FEATURED RARE PLANT – DAVID MAGNEY

Catalina Mariposa Lily ( catalinae) STATUS Federal State / NDDB CNPS (Tibor 2003) None None / G3, S3.2 List 4 (Plants of Limited Distribution); R-E-D Code 1-2-3

Calochortus catalinae S. Watson is a bulbiferous perennial herb with 20 to 60 cm stems (bulblet-bearing) and withering basal from 10 to 30 cm. The inflorescence consists of 1 to 4 erect, bowl-shaped flowers with purple-spotted (near base) (20 to 30 mm) and white, tinged lilac, purple-spotted, nearly glabrous flowers. The flowers include oblong, densely-branched hairy nectaries (not depressed) and erect, non-angled fruit (2 to 5 cm). C. catalinae blooms between February and May (Tibor-CNPS 2003) and is part of the lily family (). (Hickman 1993.) Catalina Mariposa Lily is an uncommon herb of heavy soil in open grassland, coastal scrub, and chaparral habitats and is known below 700 meters in elevation (Hickman 1993). It occurs primarily in the southern portion of the Central Coast and the western South Coast, and is known in Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego Counties (including Santa Catalina Island and Santa Rosa Island) (Skinner and Pavlik 1994). C. catalinae is threatened by development. There are approximately 34 reported occurrences of C. catalinae in Ventura County, of which about 10 have been extirpated. It occurs on Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands, and in the Santa Ynez Valley and Mountains to Figueroa Mountain in Santa Barbara County (Smith 1998 – A Flora of the Santa Barbara Region, second edition). PAST HIKE AND CHAPTER EVENT REVIEWS Ahmanson Ranch-San Fernando Valley Spineflower with Mary Meyer, 24 April 2004 A small group of chapter members (David Magney, Nancy Breslin, Patt McDaniel, and Richard Sweet) and a UCLA student, Julie, followed Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game Botanist Mary Meyer around Laskey Mesa on the former Ahmanson Ranch to find and examine the endangered San Fernando Valley Spineflower (Chorizanthe parryi var. fernandina). While the plants were much smaller in stature than they were in 2003, we saw thousands of the plant, in bloom. Mary explained a lot about known habitat requirements of the plant, population size and dynamics, and about known pollinators. She also described what Washington Mutual and their consultants had proposed for the Ahmanson Ranch development, and the inadequate Spineflower preserves they were suggesting. Thanks to a large number of people fighting the Ahmanson Ranch development, and the good sense of Washington Mutual Bank in the end, this invaluable resource has been protected from development. Be sure to take a hike to this park in the near future.

Left: from left to right, Richard, Julie, Patt, Nancy, and Mary, looking at the Spineflower. Center photos: San Fernando Valley Spineflower with a pen and rabbit droppings for scale. Right: Patt, Nancy, and Mary on their knees examining pollinators of the San Fernando Valley Spineflower plants. Earth Day at Oak Grove School with Ken Niessen Ken took Sunday afternoon out of his busy schedule to staff a CNPS booth at the Earth Day event at Oak Grove School in Ojai on Sunday, 25 April 2004. It was a warm day, with a number of folks visiting the CNPS table, several of whom bought books and T-shirts. Chapter President David Magney helped man the table at the end of the afternoon. Thorn Meadows with Ken and Cher You missed a beautiful day (14 June 2004) at Thorn Meadows and Cedar Creek in northern Ventura County. Ken Niessen and Cher Batchelor led this nice botany foray into the Ventura County highcountry. Ken and his wife and daughter and Cher camped out at Thorn Meadows [Snedden] Camp Friday evening and were met by member Richard Sweet for a day of botanizing along Cedar Creek, a tributary of the upper reaches of Piru Creek. They hiked a couple miles up the creek (on a good trail) to Cedar Camp, ahead of a Boy Scout troop, and saw many interesting plants, including a small population of what looks very much like Mountain Alder (Alnus incana ssp. tenuifolia), representing only the second population of this northern species known to occur in Ventura County, the first population (two shrubs) being discovered by David Magney the week before just over the ridge in Horse Thief Canyon (the upper end of Mutau Creek, also a tributary to Piru Creek). Probably the largest population of Western Bracken Fern in Ventura County occurs just west of Thorn Meadows.

7 Matilija Copy Vol. 17:2

Non-Profit Organization California Native Plant Society U.S. POSTAGE PAID P.O. Box 6 OXNARD, CA Ojai, CA 93024 www.cnpsci.org PERMIT NO. 398

TIME VALUE MATERIAL

Channel Islands Chapter Officers/Program Contacts CNPS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION Category Annual Amount Student/Retired/Limited Income ...... … $ 20 ٱ Office/Position Name Phone # Email Address President*: David Magney 646-6045 [email protected] Individual or Library ...... $ 35 ٱ Vice President-(V)*: Lynne Kada 643-4842 [email protected] Family or Group ...... $ 45 ٱ Vice President-(SB)*: Charlie Blair 733-3189 [email protected] Supporting ...... … ...... $ 75 ٱ Secretary*: Cher Batchelor 641-0863 [email protected] Plant Lover ...... $100 ٱ Treasurer*: Elizabeth Chattin send to PO Box 6, Ojai, CA 93024 Patron ...... $250 ٱ Conservation*: David Magney 646-6045 [email protected] Benefactor ...... $500 ٱ Vegetation/PlantScience*: Ken Niessen 646-8650 [email protected] Education*: Your Name Could Be Here Horticulture*: Chris Bysshe 646-8090 [email protected] * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Legislation*: Your Name Could Be Here I wish to affiliate with the Channel Islands Chapter of the Rare Plant Coord. (V): Rick Burgess 983-1312 California Native Plant Society. Rare Plant Coord. (SB): Steve Junak 682-4726 [email protected] Name ______Membership: Your Name Could Be Here Address ______Newsletter Editor: David Magney 646-6045 [email protected] Periodic Plant Watch: Rick Burgess 983-1312 City ______State______Zip ______Invasive Exotics: Kirk Waln 650-9845 [email protected] Phone ______Email ______Please do not share my address with any other organization ٱ Programs: Lynne Kada 643-4842 [email protected] Program Facilitator (SB): Andrea Adams-Morden 642-4726 [email protected] Program Facilitator (V): Richard Bradley 646-6633 Send Membership application and check to: Publicity: Connie Rutherford 339-9779 [email protected] California Native Plant Society (or CNPS) Field Trips: Your Name Could Be Here 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Plant Sales: Your Name Could Be Here Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 Poster Sales: Scott Brown 525- 9905 [email protected] No.SB Co.Subchapter Liason: Charlie Blair 733-3189 [email protected] Member-At-Large*: Patt McDaniel 646-9948 [email protected] Note: We send two free Matilija Copy issues to non-members Member-At-Large*: Chris Bysshe 646-8090 [email protected] who wish to become acquainted with CNPS. If you are a Member-At-Large*: Scott Brown 644-6637 [email protected] Webmaster Mike Adams 644-4862 [email protected] member of another chapter, you may subscribe to Matilija Copy for one year with a $5-donation to the chapter by mailing a (All telephone numbers are in Area Code 805) check to the chapter to subscribe. CNPS/Channel Islands * = officer (voting) Chapter members automatically receive this newsletter. 8